Both the Indian agencies, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have started camping in London as soon as the hearing started on Monday in Vijay Mallya’s extradition case. The pre-trial hearing for extradition of Vijay Mallya started at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday.
Sources within the agencies have told India Today that, “a two member team, one from CBI and one from ED, are already camping in London. The two member team is assisting the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)”.
Another officer from one of the agencies told India Today, “documentation process has been completed in this case. CPS, however, had few queries; essentially on the criminality angle which was taken care by the officers”.
India has also provided additional documents to make the case stronger against Mallya. The latest document to be attached to the dossier is the ED’s chargesheet filed against Vijay Mallya. The dossier also includes the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) findings against Mallya and his company.
SFIO findings will make the case stronger for India as investigations into this case shows that Kingfisher created three business segments – commercial airlines, ground handling and training – to avoid paying capital gains tax. But as soon as Kingfisher announced its merger with DAL, these were created on paper.
In addition to the two officers, a bigger team from CBI and ED will be going to London for the December 4 hearing.
Vijay Mallya, who appeared before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London today, has been exempted to appear in person till the December 4 for hearing.
Vijaya Mallya is accused of fraud charges related to his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines owing more than Rs 9,000 crore to various Indian banks. Mallaya left India for UK on 2 March 2016.
As of now, the London court has granted him a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds and conditions like abiding the law of court, surrender his passport and ban on traveling.
intoday.in
